Frozen Heart
by Deathsembrace137
Summary: A short story based on a friend's prediction of who Silver really is. Frozen Heart is dedicated to Approvesport. Thanks for all the wonderful art you've done for us.


**Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail**

Gray walked through the dark corridor of the Tartarus Guild. Unease filtered through his senses. His body was tense, ready to spring into action at the first sign of trouble, and though he tried to remain alert, his thoughts traveled.

Happy had pulled him aside. Just before the explosion. He had told Gray what little he knew, which wasn't much. All he knew was that Natsu had said Silver smelt familiar. Like Gray.

Frowning to himself, Gray clenched his fists. It wasn't the first time he'd felt... a sense of foreboding about that Tartarus member. From the moment Gray had released the ice surrounding Atlas, he'd had this sense of unease. Because the magic had felt familiar to him. It had felt like his magic.

If that wasn't enough, now Natsu, with his dragon honed senses sensed the same thing. And with the event of the Grand Magic games still close in mind, Gray had his theory. As much as he'd like to not believe it was possible, he worried that Silver, was himself, somehow brought back from the future.

The thought at first had been ridiculous to him, and he had written it off to paranoia, assuring himself that he had gotten the feel of the magic wrong. He had doubted his abilities as a ice mage in favor of not believing his magic could have formed that shell. But now... Well, he couldn't doubt Natsu's abilities. Not after all the man had done. As much as he wanted to write it off again, he couldn't write off the fact that both men had felt and sensed the same thing. To write it off now would be stupidity.

But still. If Silver was himself, how the hell had he become like that? There was nothing Gray loved more than his guild. The members of it were his family, his friends. They were the only people he had, and he would never turn against them.

Sneering to himself, Gray's thoughts turned to Elfman. He too had probably once said the same, and yet, he'd betrayed them. For Lisanna. Or, not betrayed, but rather, he was controlled. But still, Gray wondered about how easily Elfman had been taken control of. If maybe he'd given up in favor of Lisanna. And that had Gray wondering. Was there anyone that he loved that much that he would betray everyone else for them? His thoughts turned immediately to Juvia, but he shook his head. He wouldn't, not even for her. To do so would be to betray her as well.

But what then, turned him from good to evil? The thought gnawed at his mind, causing misery to rise in him. He couldn't bare to think of himself betraying everyone he loves. It didn't make sense to him. It wasn't who he was.

He was the boy raised by Ur. He watched as she gave his life for him and Lyon. And that willingness to give her life, had been something that had engraved itself within him. Even if it meant his death, him giving his life, he would protect those around him, those he cared for. That was the whole reason he'd learned the dangerous Iced Shell spell. So, it just didn't make sense that he would become evil, evil enough to turn on the very Guild that raised him.

Hearing a step behind him, Gray turned suddenly, his hands raised. A tall dark figure stood in the shadows, and Gray tensed. He couldn't make out who it was, whether it was another Fairy Tail member, or a Tartaros one.

Fairy Tail had gathered after the explosion, and the entire guild had come, ready to fight, to free those taken, and to wreak vengeance for the destruction of their guild. Thankfully, no one had died. Cana senses had saved them all. And though he didn't much like the feeling of being trapped in a card, he knew once this was over, he definitely owed Cana a beer. Or a keg of beer.

The figure ahead of him took a step forward, straight into the light, and Gray's chest froze, and he found himself unable to breathe. The air around him became cold, freezing even to him. His eyes met ones similar to his, but frozen and devoid of emotion.

Black hair hung over the mans forehead, but it didn't cover the large scar across his face, or the fact that the man across from him looked a lot like Gray, except years older. And suddenly, Grays doubts disappeared, but his unease grew. It was true then, this was him. But how?

Gray stared at Silver, unable to say anything, but he didn't have to. The man walked forward, stopping a few paces away. His cold eyes glared at Gray, and in a tight voice, he spoke, his voice quiet and sharp as a knife, "Gray Fullbuster."

Gray shifted, and stared defiantly back at the man, "So, you're Silver. Or, that's what you call yourself."

Silver's eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a line, "You have no idea what's going to happen."

Gray's glared at the man, "Fairy Tail is about to take back whats ours, and stop you from unleashing FACE."

Silver shook his head, "You still don't know."

Gray scowled, "Know what?" he asked.

Silver took a step forward, his hand clenching into a fist. "She's going to die Gray. And it'll be your fault."

Gray stilled, Silver's words making his blood run as cold as ice. Who was going to die? Why would it be his fault? But, even as he asked those question, he remembered. Her scared and quiet voice, her arms tight around him. Her whisper, "Juvia has a bad feeling."

"Juvia," Gray murmured quietly, lowering his eyes away from the man in front of him, and the haunted expression in his eyes.

Silver's eyes flashed with anger, and he screamed out, "Don't say her name!" Then, his body tightened, his face contorting before falling back into a emotionless mask. Then, turning to Gray again, he shook his head. "She's going to die because of you."

"No. I won't let her die. You're wrong," Gray spoke quickly, glaring at Silver, while clenching his fists tightly. There was no way he'd ever let Juvia die. He'd given his life for her once, during the Dragon invasion, and he would do it again.

Silver shook his head, "No. She's going to die trying to save you. But I won't let that happen. I'm going to kill you, and then Juvia will be safe."

Silver's eyes darkened, and he stepped forward, slashing a hand across the air at Gray, but before Gray could defend himself, a figure threw him to the ground. He felt warm fur, and long hair brush across his face. The scent of water and fresh rain filled his senses.

Without thinking, Gray rolled over, shielding her with his body, "Juvia!" he yelled, worriedly looking at her. But she was fine, the attack of ice had slid harmlessly through he water body.

"You won't hurt Gray-Sama. I won't let you," she promised, her voice full of worry, but also grim determination, as she glared hatefully up at Silver.

Gray shook his head and tightened his hold over the water woman, "Juvia, I won't let you get hurt for me. I will protect you."

Juvia took her eyes off Silver, and turned to Gray, "I won't leave you," she whispered.

Gray frowned, his eyebrows drawn downwards, and then he nodded, "We fight together then?"

"Just like before?" she asked quietly.

Gray nodded his head, "Yes, Juvia. We'll take him together, just like before. Together, we can do this. Together, we can do anything."

* * *

Silver stared at the two forms strewn across the ground. Gray's body sheltering Juvia's protectively, and Juvia staring up at him with concern and love. For the first time in forty years, Silver felt something. A warm spark that cracked the ice within him.

He had never looked at his Juvia like that. They had never shared that look, those expressions. They had never fought together. But these two, they clearly worked with each other, helped each other. Was it possible that they had a different fate?

Without consent, his mind recalled the images so painful that they'd cast his soul into ice. Freezing and breaking apart all his emotions, making it impossible to feel anything other than hate. The image of his Juvia, falling slowly and silently to the ground. Her hands cupped in front of her, blood spilling from between her fingers.

She fallen to the ground, a dark spot growing over her abdomen, and then, as he had knelt down beside her, screaming her name, she had looked at him. Her eyes were full of light, and love, and she'd whispered one word, "Gray-sama." And then the light had diminished from her eyes, her body had fallen slack, and the only movement was the ever growing puddle of red surrounding her.

It had happened then, rage bursting through him, rage and hate. He'd blasted ice outwards, killing anything and everything within reach. And he'd felt no remorse. It was impossible for him to feel when the woman he'd loved had been taken from him.

But this, the woman now in front of him. This wasn't her. And the boy, that wasn't him. He could see it in the way the boy was unafraid to let the woman see he cared for her. He had never been able to do that with his Juvia.

His fears had kept his feelings at bay. His fear that he'd lose Juvia, like he lost his parents, and like he lost Ur and Ultear. He'd allowed those fears to rule him, until the only thing he had, was taken away. But this was different. It felt different. And knowing that, the ice around him cracked a little more.

This Gray Fullbuster. He might be strong enough to save Juvia. And if that was the case, his future might be different. And Silver wasn't going to get in the way of that. Not if there was a chance that this Juvia could live.

Without a word, Silver took a step back. Receding quickly and silently into the shadows. He heard them move, getting up to look for him, but he was already gone. He would not fight them. But neither could he fight for them. This was something they had to do themselves. And he had no doubts that they would do it. If they truly cared for each other the way they seemed, then they would survive.

As he walked away, Silver held onto that hope. The hope of a future for the two of them. And he remembered his Juvia. But not dying. He remember her ever present smile, her beautiful blue eyes. And he remembered the love he secretly had for her. And finally, Silver had the strength to allow the ice inside him to melt completely, though it left him with a soul tortured by the loss of the one he'd loved, and the knowledge that he'd betrayed everything she had believed in. But underneath that knowledge, and within that torture, he felt a surge of strength, a surge of his former Fairy Tail spirit.

He felt a pain, over his chest, and he lifted his hand, holding it over where his former guild mark had been. And lowering his head, he watched as a tear fell to the ground. The first tear he'd cried since the day he lost Juvia.

Shaking his head, Silver pushed the tears away. He would have time for that later. Right now though, he had something else to focus on. Redemption. And as he walked towards the room where several Tartarus members waited for his report, he vowed, that before he died, he would make up for the sins he committed. He would do everything in his power, to become the man he'd been before. To become the Gray-Sama that his Juvia had loved.

* * *

"I don't see him anywhere," Juvia whispered to the man beside her.

Gray frowned as well, but stopped when something caught his eyes. Bending down, he fingered a small piece of ice, a frozen tear. He felt a surge of regret as he touched it, a sense of loss. And he knew, it was Silver's tear.

"Gray-Sama?" Juvia asked.

Gray looked at her, "I don't think we have to worry about finding him," Gray murmured back to her, dropping the tear to the ground.

"Why not?" Juvia asked.

Gray stood up, and went to stand beside her, "It's a feeling I have. Do you trust me?" he asked.

Juvia immediately nodded, "Of course Juvia trusts you. You're her Gray-Sama."

Gray let a small smile grace his lips and he turned to her, "Good, then trust that we don't have to worry about him. And Juvia. Promise me something."

Juvia looked at him her eyes connecting with him in a way they never had before. A blush settled over her cheeks and she nodded, "Yes?" she asked.

"Promise you won't ever die on me," Gray said taking her hand.

Juvia gasped, her eyes widening, "Gray-Sama," she whispered.

Gray took a step forward, grasping her hand tighter, and placing a his other hand under her chin, tipping her face to his, "Promise me, Juvia."

Juvia held his gaze, her eyes open and staring widely, and then slowly, she nodded her head, "Juvia promises."

Gray sighed, and his shoulders sagged in relief, "Thank you," he whispered, then holding her hand, he turned around, leading her out of the corridor, and towards where he could hear the sounds of fighting, the voices of his friends. Today, right now, they would fight. They would win back their guild. But tomorrow, tomorrow he would work to deserve this girl's heart. And starting tomorrow, he would no longer deny himself the feelings he had for her. He would make sure she knew just how much he valued her. How much he loved her.

And as Gray waked towards the sounds of the fight, his hand tightened over hers, and he murmured faintly a promise to himself, in the form of a single word, too quiet for Juvia to hear, "Tomorrow."

**This is for my girl, Approvesport. She's done quite a few drawings for me, so when she asked me to write up her idea of who Silver was, I couldn't say no. :) Looking forward to doing more collabs with her in the future, and for now everyone, follow her on tumblr or deviantart, because she's amazing!**

**Deathsembrace137**


End file.
